Liu Bei was discussing how to defeat Liu Zhang in Luo Castle when routed soldiers suddenly arrived with terrible news.
"What? Yuan Xi's banner has appeared? Jiameng Pass and Fushui Pass have both fallen? Guan Ping and Huo Jun are dead, and Yun Chang's fate is unknown?"
The shocking news struck Liu Bei like a bolt from the blue, leaving him stunned for a long while.
When he finally recovered, Liu Bei's first words were, "Yun Chang and I swore the Peach Garden Oath, pledging to live and die together. Nothing must happen to Yun Chang!"
Xu Shu advised, "My lord, please restrain your grief. I have studied General Guan's features; his destiny is one of great nobility, not an early death. Right now, it is our army's situation that is rather perilous."
Liu Bei had endured plenty of setbacks. Back then, the three brothers had been scattered and separated by vast distances; Guan Yu had even been captured by Cao Cao and forced into hard labor. What storms had they not weathered?
Liu Bei immediately steadied himself and said, "Military Advisor, please speak."
Xu Shu said, "Yuan Xi has seized Jiameng Pass and Fushui Pass, which is equivalent to cutting off our connection with Jingzhou. Our army is trapped in Western Sichuan, with Liu Zhang before us and Yuan Xi behind us. Supplies are running low, and reinforcements are nowhere in sight. If Liu Zhang and Yuan Xi attack us from both sides, we will be hard-pressed to hold Luo Castle, especially without the people's support."
Though Liu Bei was renowned for his benevolence, he had only just taken Luo Castle. It was perfectly normal that he had not won the people's hearts.
When defending the city, they could not count on rallying the populace. They could only rely